Call for Syria activist releases

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Human Rights Watch, a US-based group, has called on Syria to release a number of people who attended a meeting of opposition activists in December.

Human rights workers say at least 12 people were detained in connection with the meeting of the pro-democracy group known as the Damascus Declaration.

Last week, a Syrian artist, Talal Abu Dan, became the latest member of the group to be arrested.

A former member of parliament, Riad Seif, is also among those held.

HRW has also called for an investigation into alleged beatings during interrogation of detained activists.

Charges

"The Syrian authorities are treating these activists like criminals simply because they called for democratic and peaceful change," Joe Stork, the Middle East director at Human Rights Watch, told the Associated Press.

Most of those detained face charges including "weakening national sentiment" and "spreading false or exaggerated news which would affect the morale of the country" and "inciting sectarian strife", the agency reports.

There has been no official Syrian comment on the recent arrests.

Syria experienced a period of increased political openness after the death of former President Hafez al-Assad in 2000.

His successor, his son Bashar, initially tolerated the discussion groups advocating political reform that came into being, but a tough clampdown began in 2001.